A world without my friends its just too much for me
by Ent.FT
Summary: One member of their family is missing to what extent would Team Erza go to bring back their friend? Pairings: Gruvia/Jerza/GaLe/NaLu (in later chapters) slow developing, set one year after the GrandmagicG, contains spoilers from the anime Genres: Main adventure/tragedy/romance/humor in early chp Rated M for offensive language and blood/gore rate/review. Disclaimer: I do not own FT
1. Premonition

Chapter 1

* * *

Premonition

* * *

_Fairy Tail, Magnolia._

_It was as lively as it could get, Cana was sitting on top of the table hugging the barrel with her hands and feet. While in the corner of the guild Wakaba was talking to Macao about the old days in Fairy Tail, they laughed at the memories how they used to break stuff. In same time near the request board Elfman was telling Wendy that she's a man for picking out slightly more dangerous quest, while Charla was trying to explain to him that Wendy is a girl. He hadn't noticed the angry Evergreen behind him listening to his boosting about being a man a vein had popped up on her forehead. She started smacking the takeover wizard on the head with her Chinese fan while yelling  
_"man, man, man, just by looking at you it makes my blood boil!"  
"What is wrong with you wench!" shrieked the takeover mage, trying to cover his head with his hands.

_They hadn't noticed that at that time the entire guild was watching them, including the master who was sitting on the bar drinking his beer smiling at them. Next to him was Mirajane who was polishing the already perfectly clear glass, with a smile plastered on her face she had covered her lips with the fingers  
_"Oh my," said Mirajane.  
"I wonder when those two will get together," she added. While looking at the pair, laughing silently so she wouldn't attract any attention towards her.  
Master Makarov chuckled at her comment.  
"That's Fairy Tail," he said. As he raise the mug to drink more beer proud of his guild.

_Suddenly armored footsteps could be heard slowly closing in outside the guild doors, everyone at the guild stopped talking at the familiar noise, some were even covered in fear as the doors slowly opened letting in more sunlight, as four shadows were stretching on the ground as the Fairy Tail's strongest team enters the guild.  
_"We're back!" shouted Titania. With her usual fierce expression as she makes her way towards the master to discuss the mission outcome, behind her gloomy looking Lucy with a blue cat on her shoulder patting her head, slowly dragging her feet making her way to sit on the table next to Wendy and Charla.

"Welcome back, everyone!" Mirajane greeted. While waving at the group that had just entered, Lucy tired from the mission rested her chin on the wooden table before she sighed over and over out of desperation for rent money.

"How did the mission go Lucy-san?" asked Wendy. With a smile that soon vanished from her face as she noticed Lucy being struck by terror on her question, face turning blue and eyes white as she recalled the terrifying moments that happened on the mission.

"Did something happen?" nonchalantly asked Charla. Lucy raising her hand and with her thumb pointing behind her back, while stuttering she replied "that happened," behind her certain fire and ice wizard already started with their typical pointless arguments, face to face insulting each other as on one side fire and on the other ice magic clashed.

"Flame brain!"  
"Damn stripper!"  
"Shit fire!"  
"Perverted bastard!"  
"Match stick!"  
"Are you looking for a fight!?"  
"Bring it on!"

Fist engulfed with flames landed on Grays face, knocking him into the wall. The proud dragon slayer started to laugh, when a cold fist connected with his jaw knocking the dragon slayer on the floor, more punches were being exchanged until Titania had enough of it and snapped, grabbing both of them by their collars and smashing their heads.  
"Cut that out, now!" she shouted. Acting like nothing happened she returned to her table, after the talk with master Makarov she was now waiting for her strawberry cake.

Suddenly the fighting stopped, Natsu frowns at Gray "that happened because of you! When you decided to freeze the whole god damn building." before he even finish talking the ice wizard interrupted "you're the one who decided to break the ice, you knew the building was old!"  
"Lucy won't be able to pay her rent." Natsu mumbled to himself while rubbing the bump on his head. Not even listening to Gray.  
Vein popped on Gray's forehead, shouting "Bastard! Listen to people when they are talking to you!"

"And so half of the reward goes to repairs after the building and several others collapsed," said Lucy. With a worried expression on her face she covered her head with both hands. "Why does stuff like this keep happening to me" she muttered. "They're always overdoing things," added Charla. While slowly turning behind her to notice Happy who was holding a fish wrapped in red ribbon. "Hey Charla I brought you a fish!" said Happy. With paws stretching forward to give the fish to Charla which she rejected instantly.  
Happy broken by Charla's reaction went under the table to sob.

"I'm going to take Lucy on a mission, just the two of us, if you're around bad stuff happens!" said the dragon slayer.  
Turning from the ice wizard and slowly walking to the request board to pick up a job.  
"Do whatever you want!" replied Gray. He was clenching his teeth as he started to walk to Erza.  
The fire wizard liked Lucy, she was his team mate, comrade and a friend he wanted to help her out, feeling little guilty about how every mission seems to make her feel tired and sad only because he and Gray would start fighting and breaking stuff. _"Damn this dragon senses"_ he thought to himself as he could hear the ice wizards grinding his teeth in frustration, _"maybe I said too much this time" _he thought, looking over his shoulder at Gray who sat down opposite Erza, with a sigh he continued to walk towards the request board.

"What was that about?" asked Erza. She was looking at the angry ice wizard, eagerly waiting for answer.  
"It's nothing," replied Gray.

As he was looking through the jobs posted on the request board something caught the dragon slayer eyes.

* * *

_"Help Wanted"_

_Investigate the mysterious disappearances_

_"Please find our missing daughters"_

_Payment: 2 million jewels & bonus key_

_Location: Blackwood Village_

* * *

He picks up the job, _"this should be enough money to cover Lucy's rent for years"_ he thought to himself, with a wide grin on his face he made his way to Lucy.

"Hey Luigi!" standing behind her smiling "I found a good job just for us." The dragon slayer said. He holds out the request showing it to Lucy.  
Angry at the dragon slayer she turns around with a frown raising her fist and waving back and forth rather comically, "My name is Lucy!" knowing that he's teasing her she couldn't help but raise her voice a little. "Natsu 2 million jewels, it seems like it's a hard mission," before she finish commenting the bonus key caught her attention "ok let's do it!" she replied. Her mood changed instantly, overexcited about the key she sat up from the table and started to walk towards her apartment.  
"I'm going to get ready meet me at the train station in 1 hour," called out Lucy. As she walked out of the guild doors waving her hand, Natsu looked at Happy who was still sobbing under the table. "Are you coming partner?" asked the dragon slayer. "Aye!" replied the blue cat. Flying and landing on the dragon slayers shoulder.  
As the fire wizard started to walk towards the guild doors, Happy looked behind at Charla little disappointed to leave her side right after they had just returned.

"I have a bad feeling about this" said Charla. "Well your intuition is usually correct," replied Wendy. As he was about to walk out the doors a familiar voice stopped him.  
"Natsu," called out Erza. Who was standing behind the dragon slayer with Gray next to her, "are you going to be alright just the two of you?" asked Erza. She obviously had doubts about allowing them to go alone on this mission.  
"Don't worry, we'll be back soon," replied the dragon slayer. As he was walking out the doors he looked and smiled back at them.  
"Are you sure this is ok Erza?" asked Gray. Knowing that this is not simple mission, he was not showing it but he was worried about his friends, knowing how reckless Natsu can be sometimes, all of the times.  
"Don't worry I'm sure they'll make it," she assured Gray. Before she turned around and went to her table.  
Gray sighed and followed her.

_Little did they know that their enemy this time is entire Dark Guild, to their horror small branch guild operating within that area was abducting girls above the age of 17, to use them in experiments for the Lost Magic Resurrection, in attempt to revive their dead master._

* * *

_2 hours later.  
Charla's eyes closed for a moment and her body stiffened, images flowing inside her head until she snapped out of it hearing familiar voice._

"Are you ok Charla?" asked Wendy. Concerned about her friend she started to pet her on the head.  
"Yes I'm fine," the white cat replied. _"What was that, just now?"_ She asked herself. With eyes twitching and face covered in fear and sweat as she slowly recollects what she saw earlier. _"Was that L..? Lucy? And is t..? Is that Natsu?"_ tears started to well up in her eyes.

_In a thick dark forest blurry image of a castle almost as it is waving, Lucy chained up in a big room with an altar in the middle of it, blood colored magic circle appearing above her as she was lying on the altar in pool of blood unconscious covered in cuts and bruises all over the body, next image of Natsu like she has never seen him before engulfed with flames, angry with red eyes and what it seemed like scales on his skin, the castle collapses, people screaming and running for their lives, dead bodies all over the place rotting, as the castle is slowly consumed in flames.._

_"I hav... I have to warn them!"_ she thought. Starting to shake in fear trying to calm herself with few deep breaths, she said to herself _"I'm not going to make the same mistake again!"_ while remembering at the grand magic games, crying from the images she saw magic wings appeared and she dashed towards Erza and Gray.  
Wendy running behind her worried what is wrong with her friend.

"ERZAA, GRAYY!" she yelled. With tears falling on her cheeks, surprising and catching the attention of everyone in the guild.  
"LUU.." sobbing as she's trying to speak up "LUCY & NATSU ARE.."

"HEEELP THEEEEM!" she shouted. Slowly losing consciousness from the shock and horrible images she falls on the floor rolling just to stop in front of Erza who already had serious look on her face after hearing what Charla has said. Titania turned to her side to look at Gray who was just standing there.

"GRAY!" shouted Erza. She was trying to gain the attention of the ice wizard who was looking down at Charla, he made no movements to her calls.  
The ice wizard was shocked, he knew that the white cats words aren't something to ignore, but to see her THIS distressed he knew something big was about to happen.  
"GRAY!" he shook of and turned to Erza with questioned look on his face.  
"We are going after them," said Erza. Calling out to Wendy to pick up Charla and follow them.  
"Mira, inform the master!" shouted Titania, as they stormed out through the guild doors leaving the guild members shocked.


	2. The Train

Chapter 2

* * *

Train

* * *

_Natsu and Lucy had already boarded the train. It took some time for Lucy to convince the dragon slayer to ride the train, after explaining to him that walking there would be impossible. Somehow they managed to get on time. Lucy was sitting close to the window while the dragon slayer and the blue cat sat opposite her. The other passengers slowly filled the train, Lucy was telling Natsu about her future dreams, in the same time Happy was holding his ears trying not to listen to the noisy celestial wizard, while the dragon slayer was just looking at her with half closed eyes, "she's doing it again," he thought. Once she would start daydreaming there was no stopping her. The train doors closed, as the sound of the horn signaled the passengers that they're ready to depart._

As the train started to move the dragon slayer sank into his chair, he growled in agony as the train swayed on the rails.  
"Lucy, do something," the dragon slayer muttered. Slowly he leaned towards her falling on his knees and resting his chin on top of her knees looking at her.  
"Eh, what do you want me to do?" Asked Lucy, while looking down at the dragon slayer she noticed that he couldn't keep his eyes focused.  
"I don't know, just do anything," said the dragon slayer, holding onto his stomach he positioned himself next to Lucy with his head laying down on her lap.  
Lucy froze at the sight of having Natsu in her lap, as red spots flared on her cheeks. Happy amused by Lucy he started teasing her.  
"You like him," said the blue cat, playfully while rolling his tongue. With the paws on his mouth he started giggling as he was hovering over the wizards.  
"Shut up cat, or I will pull out your whiskers!" yelled Lucy, as she was glowering at the blue cat. Suddenly her eyebrows went up and she bit her lips when the dragon slayer took her hand and placed it on his stomach, "Lucy hurry," he mumbled, as he squeezed her hand slightly signaling her to do something and fast, her eyes skipped around the train wagon until finally settling on the dragon slayer, she blushed and quickly turned her head to look out the window.  
"Fine, but I'm only doing this because you feel sick!" stuttered Lucy, she raised her other hand and placed it on the dragon slayers head, and without hesitation she started stroking the pink hair. She felt that the dragon slayer started to relax on her touch, looking through the corner of her eyes she noticed the color returning to his face.  
"Does this really work?" asked Lucy, with a confused look on her face. The dragon slayer smiled at her in approval as he started to fall asleep.

_"This is exactly the same as the novel I'm writing!" _she thought, she turned dark red when she remembered the scene that followed, _"What am I thinking!? This is Natsu we're talking about!"_ She half-closed her eyes and smiled while looking at Natsu, _"But, he is pretty cute when he's sleeping," _she gulped as she kept stroking his hair.  
_"Why am I this nervous!? He has even seen me naked as he comes in my house uninvited all the time, why is this so different!"_ she asked herself, recalling on the memories when she would walk out of the bathroom and find Natsu and Happy eating her food, "_Sometimes he even sleeps in my bed, though I wonder why he does that." _She thought, placing her index finger on her chin.  
Not realizing that she was thinking aloud she noticed the cat giggling at her, and the forced coughs from the people around her.  
"It's because I like the way you smell," muttered the dragon slayer, with eyes closed and smile on his face he fell asleep, her eyes widened and she blinked in confusion.  
"Eh? Don't tell me that I…" said Lucy, turning around she noticed the people staring at her, she blushed dark red, steam coming out of her head.  
"Lucy, Lucy," a giggling voiced caught her attention, it was coming from the blue cat "Look," said Happy. He had drawn a heart on the window. He was covering his mouth as he was trying his best not to laugh.  
"You like each other," said Happy, while rolling his tongue.  
"You shity cat!" yelled Lucy, pulling down on his whiskers.  
"Lucy you meanie!" cried out Happy.

* * *

_Erza and the rest had to wait for the next train to Blackwood village; it was scheduled to arrive at the station in one hour. After learning the last departure they just stood there knowing that they had just missed their friends, if they only came sooner. As the next train arrived the group boarded it, it departed shortly after.  
Gray was sitting next to the window, with his chin resting on his hand. While Erza and Wendy who was holding Charla sat opposite him._

"Is she still unconscious?" asked Erza, careful not to startle Wendy who seemed lost in thought.  
"She is," replied Wendy, while looking down on her friend, "This is the first time that she collapsed after a vision," said Wendy, saddened as tears started to well up in her eyes.

The ice wizard was looking out the window, listening to their conversation as the uneasiness in him grew stronger with each passing second, wondering whether his friends are going to be alright.

"Don't worry, she'll wake up soon" said Erza, placing her hand on Wendy's shoulder trying to cheer her up, _"she probably saw something really disturbing, it's the first time I saw Charla like this,"_ Erza thought, while recalling what had happened a while back at the guild.

_Flashback_

_Two hour had passed since Natsu and Lucy left on the mission, Mirajane was entertaining the guild with her new song. Erza was sitting opposite the ice wizard finally able to eat her strawberry cake, she noticed the ice wizard still angry so she tried to figure out what happened._

"So, why did Natsu left alone with Lucy?" asked Erza, as she was munching on her favorite cake looking at the ice wizard, waiting for answer.  
"I don't know," said Gray, turning his head to avoid the fierce gaze.  
"Are you sure it has nothing to do with your fight earlier?" pressed Erza, pushing him to answer her question Titania wouldn't give up that easily.  
"How should I know what's on that idiots mind," replied the ice wizard. _"That fool thinks of everything as competition,"_ he thought.  
"He was blaming me for what happened back on the mission, and you know Lucy when it comes to rent money she was pretty depressed today," He said, feeling little guilty for deciding to use strong magic to freeze the entire building, Erza nodded her head in agreement for him to continue.  
"He probably thought by avoiding me there wouldn't be any mistakes or destruction to damage the reward," the ice wizard explained, as he raised his head to look at Erza.  
"He's right to some extent," said Erza, putting the empty plate on the table. Grays eyes widened in surprise to see her defending the dragon slayer.  
"It's true that by avoiding each other there wouldn't be as many mistakes, but we are team now," she clarified.  
"If you two would spend time training together instead of fighting the whole fucking time we could even finish SS class quests together," said Erza, with a frown on her face, she had joined her hands together with her elbows resting on the wooden table.  
"I can't help but think whether I did the right thing to let them go alone on this particular mission," said Erza, she noticed the sudden twitching in Gray's expression trying to hide his worried face.  
"He's a guy that uses his fist not his head, I hope he doesn't drag Lucy…" said Gray, when he was interrupted by the sudden cry from the white cat.

"Erza, Gray!" yelled Charla, they noticed the white cat with tears in her eyes flying towards them, as the music stopped and everyone in the guild was watching her.  
Erza and Gray stood up from the table, alarmed by Charla's behavior.  
"Lu..." sulking and trying to speak up "Lucy and Natsu are..."  
"HEEELP THEEEEM!"

_End of flashback_

Suddenly she shook off from the memory to notice Charla who was slowly awakening.

"Charla are you ok?" asked Wendy, concerned about her friend. The white cat slowly opened her eyes.  
"Wendy? Where are we? Where are we going?" she asked, with a puzzled look on her face from the unfamiliar environment, she slowly started to recall the recent memories, from what seemed like scattered pictures in her vision before, now she could make sense of what she saw earlier.

"Charla," Erza called out to her, while looking down at the cat, "We are going after Lucy and Natsu, you said they're in danger and then you collapsed," explained Erza. She gave her a moment to let her words sink in. The white cat eyes widened instantly, "Tell us what you saw Charla" said Erza.  
"No!" she replied, looking back at Erza, "You mustn't go! It's dangerous!" cried out Charla.

"What are you saying Charla?" asked Wendy, with soft smile on her face, "We can't leave our friends knowing that they're in danger," she said, trying to convince the cat.  
"You don't understand, promise me you won't go Wendy!" said Charla, as she recalled the dead bodies rotting, she burst into tears with her paws on her eyes while sobbing she tried to speak, "Promise me Wendy," She begged her. Wendy was trying her best not to cry as she tried to extract information from her friend.  
"Please Charla, tell us what you saw," said Wendy. The white cat stopped for a moment to take a deep breath, and started explaining her vision.

_"There was a hidden castle, with a barrier of some kind that was surrounding it in the dark forest just below the mountain"  
"there was this big room with an altar in the middle of it, light fell from the top to the center of the room"  
"Luc... Lucy was laying there on the altar the light shining on her, laying on pool of blood all beaten up and cloths torn apart."  
"There was masked man around her chanting some kind of spell."_

She looks up at Erza and Gray tears falling from her eyes as she was having trouble speaking.  
_"The blood below her, m…moved." _said Charla, as her voice trailed off. Gray and Erza looked at each other confused with stoic expressions.  
"_I think Lucy was d..."  
_Their eyes suddenly grew distant, welling up with tears from her unspoken yet clear words. Even the ice wizard froze as thoughts passed behind his eyes like shadows.  
Wendy was trying to figure out what Charla meant, while Titania has started to shake, as thoughts of losing her friends invaded her mind, somehow managing to gather her senses she slowly turned to the cat.  
"You mentioned Natsu, back at the guild," said Erza, holding her head in disbelief trying to gain more information.  
_"He was di…different he looked similar to Sting and Rogue at the games, even though he was Natsu I was scared of him."  
"His skin was different."  
_Erza looked up at Gray and with low tone almost whispering she said "dragon force," Gray knew what she was talking about, still shaken he tried to listen.  
_"His whole body was burning, eyes glowing red, he smiled… but something was so different about him, he was waiting for something."  
_At this point Erza knew something was wrong, she has seen him with dragon force before and it was nothing like Charla had described him, right now to her it seemed as she was describing a monster. She started to worry more, about the safety of the man who saved her life at the tower of heaven.  
_"There were dead people, and their bodies were…" _Erza interrupted her, realizing that this isn't something for Wendy's ears.  
"Gray, take Wendy out of here I'll call you back," said Erza, he nodded his head as he grabbed Wendy by the hand.  
"Come Wendy, you don't need to hear this," said the ice wizard, pulling her away.  
"But." she opposed for a moment before Erza gave her a stare she silently followed Gray.

Erza looked down at Charla and nodded her head, signaling her to continue.  
_"Their bodies were hideous, some burnt, some rotting and blood had painted the walls red."  
"There were other people there as well, alive…"  
"But they were running from something."  
"They were scared, trashing themselves on the closed doors trying to force it open, they were pounding on the door even though their hands were really badly injured"  
"they didn't stop, the man they were running from, a red figure stood behind them..."  
"IT WAS HIM!" _she started crying harder barely able to make a word._  
"OH...MY...IT WAS NATSU, HE DIDN'T LET THEM GO!" _she cried out, closing her eyes shut not wanting to see the flowing pictures in her mind, with paws on her head crying as she couldn't take it anymore, "AAAAAAAAAA!" she screamed as load as she can and lost consciousness again.

Erza couldn't move, she looked down at her hands, shaking of fear for second time in her life, since the Tenroujima incident, fearing of what was about to happen to her friends, slowly regaining her breathing she pulled her hands into fists, "I'm not going to let this happen!" she shouted, while standing up enraged.  
She went to Gray and Wendy, "Wendy, go to Charla she's sleeping again," said Erza, as she turned to face the ice wizard.  
Wendy without second thought rushed to be with her friend.

"What did she say about Natsu?" asked Gray, with a shaking voice after seeing Erza's reactions, deeply concerned about his best friend.  
Erza with soft smile on her face placed her hand on his cheek, she could see how troubled he was by all that happened, but she knew better than to tell him the truth.  
"His ok," said Erza. No matter how much she tried to cover it up he knew Erza far too long, he could sense that she was hiding something. But after hearing her next words he calmed down, and deciding to trust her.  
"We're not going to let any of that happen!" she reassured him.

_There was hope, that they might slack off and rest before they start the mission, there was hope… they were holding onto it not letting go.  
They hopped, that they will reach their friends on time._

* * *

"Natsu, wake up!" a paw was pressing on his shoulder.  
"We're here," said Happy, pushing the dragon slayer.  
"Happy," said Natsu, opening his eyes to notice that they're no longer moving.  
"Where is Lucy?" he asked, as familiar voice caught his attention.

"Natsu, Happy, hurry up!" called out Lucy from outside. "Aye!" replied the blue cat. They left the train finally arriving in Blackwood Village.


	3. Unanswered Feelings

Chapter 3

* * *

Unanswered feelings

* * *

_Fiore, Blackwood village.  
The sun has set, it was around 8pm. To an outsider the sight would be described as peaceful village. Seated in a small valley between snowy mountain range, it was surrounded by thick dark green forest. Although at certain times of the day, the color of the forest would darken getting closer to black but not quite. The villagers named the village after this phenomenon. But this is not what Lucy, Natsu and Happy saw. To them the village was radiating gloomy atmosphere and they could feel the presence of evil magic surrounding the village. Not many people were walking outside for safety reasons, and the ones that dared were well armed._

"Natsu, Happy, hurry up!" complained Lucy, she was waving her hand at the dragon slayer overexcited as she was skipping her way towards the village. Things seemed to turn for the better she thought, as there were new feelings for her to explore and good paying request. The dragon slayer had just gotten off the train, still scanning the surroundings with Happy sitting on the rolled blanked that he carried on his back, he noticed the celestial wizard waving at him but he made no moves, he was still alert at the evil presence that lurked in the woods around the village. After taking a deep breath he relaxed and continued to watch the celestial wizard.

"She got her spirit back," said Natsu, and with a wide grin on his face he started to follow the celestial wizard.  
"Aye!" replied Happy, with his usual cheerful voice.

They went deeper into the village looking for an inn to spend the night. As they were walking down the dirty road they noticed how the villagers were wary of the new comers. Some were scared of them moving aside as they passed, and some were glaring at them, scanning them as they passed each other. It was awkward and creepy. Happy was hiding in the dragon slayers vest, while the celestial wizard was holding her arms covered in goose bumps, slowly closing in to the dragon slayer as she felt more secure. Their behavior was irritating him; veins had popped on his forehead.

"What the fuck is wrong with them!" snapped Natsu, turning and staring at the strangers who had just passed the group. They were holding their hands over their lips as they whispered something to each other about the group while walking away, with their eyes peaking back.  
"They're weird," moaned Happy, tugging on the vest with his paws.  
"Let it go Natsu," said Lucy, "They're probably not used to new people around here," she explained, when the place they were looking for caught her eyes.  
"There it is!" cheered Lucy, pointing at the inn.  
"But they're pissing me off!" he barked, annoyed he started walking towards the strangers.  
"Natsu it's too soon to break stuff, let's go!" she said, while pulling on his arm.  
"Tch, now I'm hungry," complained Natsu, holding his stomach with his free hand.  
"You're always hungry," sighed Lucy.  
"Let's check in at the inn and eat, let's go!" he cheered, raising his fist in the air. They started walking to the inn.

The group entered the inn that was located in the middle of the village, the place was neat. Two floor building, on the first there was a restaurant while the second floor held rooms. They made their way to the receptionist.

"Good evening," Lucy greeted the maid who was standing behind the desk. Natsu and Happy were behind the celestial wizard, waiting her to book them in.  
"Welcome, to the Maiden's Cellar," the maid greeted back. With a smile on her face she held her hands in front of her as she bent down her head.  
"Two rooms please," said Lucy, while smiling at the well-mannered maid.  
"Ah, I'm really sorry. But we only have one larger room with single bed left," apologized the maid.  
"That's ok! We'll take it!" said the dragon slayer, with a grin on his face he placed his arm around the celestial wizard neck, looking at her.  
"We always sleep together, right Lucy?" he said, as he extended his other hand to take the key that was in the maids hand, she had blushed dark red at how bold the dragon slayer was, handing him the key to their room.  
"They like each other," commented the blue cat while rolling his tongue.

It was true that many times during the night he would go to her apartment and get into her bed while she was sleeping. But this shocked the celestial wizard who just stood there with her jaw dropped and eyes twitching in disbelief at how embarrassing the dragon slayer can be, and how easily he could say something like that. She hadn't noticed him when he took the key and started climbing the steps that lead to their room, until familiar voice brought her back to reality.

"Lucy, hurry!" he called her, as he was climbing the steps.  
"Don't go around telling people that!" yelled Lucy, with her eyes closed waving her fist at the empty space where the dragon slayer stood moments ago.  
*Cough*

A fake cough got her attention.  
"He already went upstairs," the maid said, pointing at the stairs with her hand while holding her lips with the other as she was giggling.

They had checked in at the inn, after they put their bags in the room they went down in the restaurant to eat. They sat down on one of the tables that were close to the big window through it you could clearly see the street outside the inn. The dragon slayer had picked up the menu, turning pages as he was wondering what to eat. The celestial wizard was waving her hand at the young maid signaling her to take their order, while the blue cat was sitting patiently waiting to order.

"Natsu," Lucy called him, she was trying to gain the dragon slayer attention, but he only made a vague sound in response not averting his eyes from the menu.  
"Tomorrow we'll go to the village chief house, so he can explain the details about our mission," she said.  
"Do we have to? We know what the mission is about, so we just start looking around," replied Natsu, as he was still browsing the menu. He was eager to finish the mission, so he can go back and rub it off the ice wizard how he completed the mission with ease when he's not around to start a fight, that was his prime objective and the second was, oh well Lucy's rent.

"That's impossible," said Happy, who was sitting next to the dragon slayer, nodding his head from left to right.  
"We have to learn more about the mission, at what time the disappearances occurred, did anyone see somebody suspicious, anything that might tell us where to look," explained Lucy, while holding her index finger up, the maid had made her way to their table.  
"Have you decided what you would like?" the maid asked, holding her note ready to take orders.

"Tch, I don't really understand but fine," said Natsu to Lucy, as he turned to the maid ordering an entire page of the menu. The maid just stood there with her jaw dropped, wondering if this is for the dragon slayer only or for the entire group, she got the answer of her question when a voice caught her attention.  
"Miss, do you have any tasty fish?" asked Happy, as droll was coming out of his mouth.  
"Yes we do," she replied, smiling at the cat.  
"And what about the lady?" she asked, turning to the celestial wizard.

Lucy was already daydreaming after she heard that the dragon slayer has agreed to follow her plan.  
_"Yatta! As long as he listens to me I'm sure we'll complete the mission and rescue the abducted girls in no-"_  
"Lucy?" asked Natsu, only to get no response.  
_"-time, I wonder what kind of gate key is the reward, I can't wait and two-"_  
"Natsu, Lucy is scaring me again," said Happy, hiding behind the dragon slayers back  
"Lucy?!" he asked again before he sighed.  
This happens sometimes he explained to the maid who was watching Lucy wondering if she's alright.  
_"-million jewels. That's one year worth rent!" _she thought, when she heard the conversation between the dragon slayer and the maid, a vein popped up on her forehead, breaking her daydreaming.  
"And get us more of the oily ones, Lucy loves the oily ones," said Natsu, with a grin on his face sending the maid to get their order.  
"I don't like the oily ones!" yelled Lucy.

* * *

The train with Erza's group was closing in on the village; Gray and Erza were speaking further away from Wendy who was holding Charla in her arms.

"Knowing them, I'm sure they will wait till morning before they start their mission," said Erza, while rubbing her chin with her hand.  
"There was no need to worry, soon we'll be there," said Gray, with his arms crossed, he leaned his back on one of the chairs.  
"If Charla was awake, she could take one of us there, the exceeds are way faster than the train," Erza pointed out, while glancing at Wendy who was holding her friend.  
"I don't think she's in any condition to fly, even if she's awake," replied Gray, before he sighed, he noticed Erza growing impatient.  
"So, are you saying that we have no option left but to wait!?" shouted Titania, punching and destroying one of the train chairs. The ice wizard pretended that he didn't see that as he looked away.  
"Calm down Erza, it's like you said, I'm sure they'll wait till morning before they start," he said, trying to calm her.  
"I let them go, it's my fault, for now just punch me," apologized Erza.

* * *

The group had finished eating, satisfied by the meal the dragon slayer had burped flames while holding on his stomach.  
"I'm stuffed," said Natsu, smiling and rubbing the abnormal size of his belly.  
"You eat way too much," replied Lucy, looking at the dragon slayer and wondering if it's even possible for someone to eat that much.  
"Aye!" chuckled Happy, who was under one of the empty plates unable to move from all the fish he ate.  
"Don't "Aye!" you're the same," said Lucy to Happy.  
They had spent several minutes talking and laughing until they finish their drinks.  
"We should get some rest," yawned Natsu, with sleepy eyes he looked at the celestial wizard. He noticed that she had blushed.

"_We're going to share the same bed," _she thought, wriggling nervously with a soft blush on her cheeks.  
_"But, this time I know that he'll be next to me, what should I do?! It's not the same as when he'd come into my apartment while I was asleep," _her blush darkened when she remembered the ride on the train. _"O my god that was so embarrassing! I was actually thinking aloud! He must have heard everything!" _she thought as she kept watching the dragon slayer, she looked down on the table in embarrassment as she recalled his words. _"It's because I like the way you smell," _Natsu had said. _"What the hell was that supposed to mean?! He likes the way I smell? Does that mean that he…?" _her thoughts were cut short. She froze as she saw him shyly leaning forward placing his forehead against hers, watching directly in her eyes.  
_"Maybe she's not feeling well," _he thought, as he closed his eyes to feel the temperature.

"Lucy, are you feeling alright?" he asked, with both hands he grabbed her gently by the shoulders. He never felt this close to the celestial wizard, he felt as something was boiling in his stomach, but it was different than what he felt everyday given his fire powers, she was special to him, many were considering him dense, well he was dense. But Igneel had told him about certain feeling that he have to figure out on his own, relying on his instincts he had forgotten why he had gotten that close to her in first place, and lost himself in thought, slowly It started to make sense. Why he had always been that protective towards her, why he was getting the best sleep of his life in her bed and why he felt as something was missing whenever she wasn't there, like the time at the Sakura festival, he had dug out entire tree just to show it to her, he never felt this way towards any other person not even Lisana, sure he was happy that she's alive and back, but this feeling was different.  
_"I don't want to let go of her, this feeling…I don't understand…" _he thought.

"Lucy," he whispered with a husky voice, catching her full attention.  
_"Eh, is this really the same Natsu I know?!" _she asked herself with a puzzled look on her face.  
Slowly he raised his hand from her shoulder, and as the tip of his fingers made contact with her cheek he opened his eyes and jerked away looking through the window.  
_"Why did he stop…" _she asked herself; _"…I wonder…if I'll ever gather the courage to tell him..."_ blushing she looked at the dragon slayer, he was looking through the window as something had caught his attention.  
"Natsu…" her voice trailed off.  
"I can hear it," responded Natsu.  
"You can hear it…What?" asked Lucy, as she faced the same direction the dragon slayer was she too could hear a faint voice echoing throughout the village, getting stronger with each passing second.

"Please help! Somebody, help me!" a stranger cried out, begging for help, he didn't know what else to do.  
"My daughter, my daughter is missing, please help!" he screamed.

"The mission!" they said in the same time facing each other. The dragon slayer stood up.  
"Yosh! Let's go Lucy!" shouted Natsu, in excitement with fists up in the air.  
"Happy!" He called the blue cat that was still under the empty plate, he started running towards the stranger.  
"Aye!" replied Happy, standing up and flying behind the dragon slayer, they dashed through the doors towards the man, Lucy started following him but before she got through the doors she was stopped by the familiar voice.  
"Don't go outside, it's dangerous!" yelled the maid, running towards the celestial wizard trying to stop her.  
"It's ok, we're Fairy Tail wizards," said Lucy, showing the maid the mark on her hand, as she turned to follow the dragon slayer and the blue cat.

Behind her gossip spread instantly, "They came, they finally came, Fairy Tail!" the people started cheering, as for the other residents of the village who didn't know that somebody had responded to their request, they started closing open windows and locking doors around the man who was calling out for help.

The celestial wizard finally reached the man that was calling for help. He was standing with Natsu and Happy.  
"Sir, don't worry we're Fairy Tail wizards," she said, panting trying to catch her breath from the running.  
"I know that, this young man told me already!" yelled the man, fearing that time is ticking and her daughter is further away with each passing second, Lucy looked up at the dragon slayer who had turned to face her, he started explaining.  
"His daughter name is Aria, she was supposed to meet with her boyfriend just down the road ten minutes ago, when she didn't show up, he went to look for her at her house, that's how they knew that something was wrong, they split up to search for her," explained Natsu.

Lucy just stood there surprised that the he would actually bother to gather information, the truth was, after he and Happy told him that they're from Fairy Tail answering their request, the man started talking and didn't stop until he told him everything he knew, after few seconds she faced the man.

"Sir, what did she look like? Anything that we can recognize her by?" asked Lucy, she had to hurry up she knew the disappearance occurred only ten minutes ago, and their best bet of finding her was to look for her immediately.  
"I already told your friends her name is Aria, she wore red dress and has short black hair," said the man, getting impatient.

Few seconds later it hit Lucy, turning to the dragon slayer.  
"Natsu! Can you pick up anything with your nose?" asked Lucy, overly excited.  
The stranger just blinked couple of times, wondering what they're talking about.

"I can, but I don't know who is who," answered Natsu, while holding the back of his head with both hands.  
The man had enough listening to them he got angry as he turned to face the celestial wizard.

"Are you people really wizards?! Spewing nonsense about sniffing like he's some kind of a dog!" yelled the man, frowning at Lucy while pointing with his finger at the dragon slayer. As Lucy explained the stranger about Natsu's dragon slaying magic and his heightened senses he had agreed to lend them cloths that his daughter had used, it wasn't really appropriate but the situation was dire, after few moments the dragon slayer had picked up the scent of Aria.

"Lucy this way!" said Natsu, as he entered the forest with Happy flying behind him.  
"Don't worry sir," reassured Lucy, "we'll bring back your daughter." she waved her hand and turned to follow the dragon slayer and the blue cat.  
"Please hurry…" said the man in low tone almost a whisper.

* * *

As they went deeper into the forest following the girls scent it got colder and colder, they were closing in to the base of the mountain that was covered in show.  
The dragon slayer and Happy were little further, behind them trailed the celestial wizard who had started to shake from the cold. Although the cold was nothing for the dragon slayer and Happy, he noticed that she was shaking and slowing down he turned to tell her to hurry up, but before he said anything his eyes widened as he saw her pulling out a gate key.

"Open, gate of the clock! Horologium…" she was interrupted in opening the gate when she felt the dragon slayer next to her. He had taken the blanked off his back and wrapped it around the celestial wizard, with one hand around her waist tugging her closer to him.  
"Don't use magic, we might alert whoever we're following," said Natsu. She blushed at the close proximity to the dragon slayer.  
"Sorry," muttered Lucy, as she was looking down the road that stretched in front of them.

"Horologium saved our lives several times. I don't think it is a good idea to use him for transportation," pointed out Natsu, looking down at Lucy he noticed she had gotten sad at his words. For once he had made a good point she was always saying that she would never use her spirits as tools and shield, but instead she fights together with them with those thoughts in her mind she held out the clock gate key in her palm looking down at it.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. Natsu smiled at her, as he heated his body to warm up the celestial wizard.  
"When you feel cold, I'll warm you up. And when you feel tired I'll carry you," he said, as they kept walking they were getting closer to an open field. She looked up at him, her face turning red.

"Natsu," said Lucy, her voice quavered. She was surprised at his words, but she finally had the courage to ask him.  
"What were you going to do earlier…after we ate?" she asked. Natsu took notice of her question he looked at her as blush spread on his cheeks.  
"I…was going to…" he was interrupted by the blue cat that flew in front of them.

"Aaa, Natsu you're so brave!" said Happy, with his eyes wide open in amazement.  
"When I tried to carry Lucy, my wings almost tore apart, she is heavy…" and before he finish talking a hand grabbed his mouth, squeezing it.  
"Little kittens should stay silent," said Lucy, with evil smirk on her face she was pulling on the cat mouth with no mercy.  
"Natsu, help me!" yelled Happy, but with his mouth shut he barely made sense of his words.  
"Hahaha, sorry Happy," he apologized, while laughing, he stopped before they step on the open field, his expression changed instantly scanning the surroundings nervously.

"Natsu, what's wrong?" asked Lucy, noticing how he was looking ahead on the open field she raised her head to match where he's looking. But she couldn't see anyone.

"There is nothing there," said Lucy, the dragon slayer tugged her even closer to him.  
"That's what bothers me," he said.

"The scent disappears just ahead, and it's not the only scent I can feel, but there is nothing there, I don't understand this…" Explained Natsu, irritated by the situation, he could feel peoples scent not just the girl they were looking for, he didn't know what's going on and his patience was growing thin.  
"Well standing here won't help us," yelled Natsu, as he charged towards the field.

"Natsu, wait!" Whined Lucy, "We should look around first," she tried to explain. But knowing that wouldn't be of any help she sighed and started to follow the dragon slayer while holding the cat on the tail, _"Why is he always like this, charging in without thinking of the consequences,"_ she thought with her eyes closed.  
"What the fuck is this?!" asked Natsu, opening her eyes she saw him on the ground, he had bumped into something big, it had started waving like when a single drop hits the surface of the water.

"It's _hidden_," answered Happy, as he was hanging on his tail. The celestial wizard let go off the blue cat.  
"Hidden?" asked Lucy.

"This is Lost Magic, it's a powerful spell that can hide objects from people, from outside you won't notice it until like Natsu, either bump or touch it," he explained, hovering over the dragon slayer.

"She's inside here!" yelled the dragon slayer, as he started to pound on the shell with his fists.  
"Natsu don't! If you do that it will alarm the owner of the spell!" shrieked Happy.

* * *

"Sir, it looks like we have intruders," said the guild member, looking up at the dark figure that was sitting on the big chair.  
"You know what to do," a voice came from the figure, as it echoed through the room.

_His name was Arashi, he was the guy in charge of this branch dark guild, and he was rather impatient man._

"Sir, one of them is a girl that fits the criteria for our project, and she's a wizard, a Fairy Tail wizard if I may add." Explained the wizard, as he was watching the group on a crystal sphere.

"Fairy Tail, huh?" Asked Arashi, he leaned forward to take a look at the crystal sphere.  
"She just might be able to contain our master, even if temporary that would bring us one step closer to a perfect _resurrection_," said Arashi, smirking as he watched the group.

"Make preparations, kill the boy and that cat, and capture the girl!" he commanded, as he stood up from the chair and left the room in a hurry.  
_"So they finally asked a guild to help them, well it doesn't matter. Once I'm finished here I'll demolish their village as a gifting present."_ He thought as he walked the corridor.

* * *

"I don't care if they know that we're here!" yelled Natsu, as he was punching the shell, "We need to rescue the girl, and if we don't break this how are we going to do that," he said, as he kept punching the shell.  
"Well, then hurry!" replied the celestial wizard, as she watched him attacking the magical shell, after several punches he stopped, noticing the magic circles on the ground that has surrounded the group, "What is that?" asked the celestial wizard.  
"They're coming," replied the dragon slayer, he clenched his fists getting ready to fight. From the ground and through the magic circles black hooded men ascended, with staffs pointed at the group. They were greatly over-numbered.

"Natsu!" said Lucy, with a voice full of confidence. She reached out for one of her gate keys. One of the dark wizards noticed her and shoots the bag in which she carried her gate keys. The keys flew away landing in the bushes nearby. She lacked magical power to cast her greatest spell, she needed Gemini help to do so, seeing no other way she took the whip in her hands, getting ready to fight.  
The dragon slayer realized that she had lost her keys. He looked up at Happy signaling him to find them once he makes his move.  
"Lucy, stay close," whispered the dragon slayer. She nodded her head and turned back to back with the dragon slayer. With fists in fire he charged at the man in front of him. Happy flew to grab Lucy's keys, while the celestial wizard had knocked couple of enemies with her whip, but soon she was restrained. The dark guild members knew who their target was, and they moved fast, holding on the celestial wizard as they created magical circle bellow her feet, slowly sinking with her in the ground.

"Let her go!" barked the dragon slayer, watching through his shoulder as he was holding one of the dark guild members lifting him from the ground, he punched him and turned to face the wizards who were holding Lucy.

"I said let her go!" yelled the dragon slayer, with fist engulfed in flames that soon spread throughout his body as he watched the celestial wizard slowly sinking in the ground.

They started laughing as they were sinking in the ground.  
"You fucking bastards!" screamed the dragon slayer, charging at the men who were holding Lucy, before he reach them dark magic hit him on the back, knocking him on the ground just in front of the magical circle in which Lucy was sinking.  
"Lucy!" he raised his hand forward trying to reach the celestial wizard, still feeling numb from the attack earlier, his face changing emotions as he struggled to stand up, he looked at Lucy who had started crying.

She had realized that this was not simple mission, they were over-numbered, the enemy well organized, and there was magic she had not seen before.  
She knew something was about to happen, given the enemy numbers she started to lose hope, she looked at the dragon slayer, tears falling down her cheeks.  
"I'm sorry," she muttered, _"At least I'll tell him how I feel…"_ she thought, she took a deep breath and started to speak.  
"Natsu I…"

He looked at those crying eyes, she had apologized, she had called his name, after that she was saying something but he couldn't hear any voice as he watched her lips move, she stopped and with a soft smile she raised her head proudly as tears fell down her cheeks, he was laying there confused, anger slowly grew in him as he watched what he appreciated the most being taken away from him, the magic circle closed and the dragon slayer spaced out, recalling that memory, regretting the fight with Gray that lead him to choose this mission, regretting not accepting Titania's offer for help, but what pained the dragon slayer the most was the apology from Lucy, and her words that he couldn't hear.

"Natsu!" a voice snapped him out of his thoughts; it was Happy flying towards the dragon slayer with the gate keys in his paws.  
"I found the keys, eh where is…?" asked the cat, looking around to see that Lucy is missing.  
He clenched his fists and struck the ground pulling himself up on his four, looking at the ground as tears welled up in his eyes.  
"Why did she apologize?" he asked in low tone.  
"Natsu…" said Happy, standing next to the dragon slayer.  
"It's my fault, I'm the one who needed to apologize!" he shouted, slowly standing up with his back facing the enemies, the wizards behind him had started laughing.

"What's so funny…" he groaned, frowning at them with tears in his eyes as he looked them through his shoulder.  
"Your girlfriend will be dead soon, if she isn't already," said one of the wizards.  
When he heard those words his eyes widened he knew there is no time to lose, he took few steps back from the shell that was hiding the place where Lucy was.

Combining his flaming fists he made _Dazzling blaze _and smashed it on the shell, it had cracked. The enemies alarmed started to attack the dragon slayer, while dodging their ranged attacks he created another _Dazzling blaze _and attacked the same place, making a hole in the shell big enough for a man to pass through.  
"Happy let's go!" said Natsu, jumping up in the air.  
"Aye sir!" responded the blue cat, flying and grabbing him on his back they entered the shell.  
"After them!" commanded one of the dark guild wizards, "We must not let him interfere in the ritual!" they started chasing them.

They noticed the huge castle that appeared in front of them, terrifying the dragon slayer. He knew that it will take more time to find Lucy.  
They smashed through the castles doors. The cat had dropped the dragon slayer as they noticed more enemies in the corridors.  
"Lucy!" cried out the dragon slayer, trying to pick up her scent so he can look for her.

* * *

"Hurry, place her on the altar and chain her up!" commanded Arashi, growing inpatient to start the ritual, as he heard the sound of breaking walls closing in, it was the dragon slayer trying to reach Lucy.

The celestial spirit struggled as she was dragged on top of the altar. And once she got chained up she couldn't even move. She cried out as she tried to break free from the steel cuffs, they were digging in her skin and blood poured on the altar bellow her, she screamed in pain. The dragon slayer could hear her he knew where he was supposed to go, running as he fought the enemies on his path, desperately trying to reach her.

"Let me go!" she cried out, ignoring the pain caused by the cuffs she struggled to free herself.

"Shut up bitch!" yelled Arashi, as he was growing inpatient to start the ritual, "We don't have time for this, start the ritual now!" he commanded his members, as he pulled out purple skull staff and zapped the celestial wizard, he didn't stop, tearing apart her cloths and skin as his magic made contact with the celestial wizard, her blood spilling and filling the altar bellow her. She knew this will be her end.

Although the massive pain caused by Arashi, she gathered her strength and screamed as hard as she can.  
"Natsu!" she called for the one person she can count on in such times, she started losing her vision as she heard a familiar voice that echoed throughout the castle.

"Lucy!" yelled the dragon slayer, in desperation, letting her know that he was coming, with the little strength that she had left she managed to smile at his voice, memories of her time in Fairy Tail flashed in her eyes, pictures of her friends shifted in her vision, remembering them and all those challenges that they passed, and her only regret was that she didn't tell the man she loved how she felt sooner, and with one last breath life slowly left her body.

Everyone carrying the Fairy Tail mark felt as piece of their heart was torn apart.  
On the train Titania realizing what just happened looked up at the ice wizard in disbelief, his cold tears freezing and shattering as they hit the ground. Finally it came to her she wasn't the only one who felt the pain in the chest, the pain of losing someone dear to you. She looked up as tears welled up in her eyes her legs gave in losing the strength to hold her. Before she fell on her knees she felt Gray embracing her. Wendy holding her friend unaware of what just happened confused was looking at the wizards as they shared their pain.

Back at the guild silence has filled the main hall. It was broken by the sudden scream of their teammate.  
"No! Lu-chan!" screamed Levy, as she fell on the floor crying for her best friend. The remaining Fairy Tail members had gathered around with broken hearts raising their hands up in the air. _"No matter where you are, we'll be always watching over you,"  
_"Lucy…" muttered Master Makarov, one of the ten great saints brought down to his knees as he felt the loss of a child, sobbing as he was unable to raise his hand with the rest of the guild to honor their teammate.

"Luuucy!" screamed the dragon slayer, not wanting to trust his feeling he ran as fast as he could, fighting the wizards along the way tracing her scent, Happy flying behind him as he shed tears, even for him this was just too much.

"Quickly start the ritual," ordered Arashi, as three mages gathered around her body and started chanting the spell.  
The doors slowly opened, the dragon slayer took few steps towards the celestial wizard before he fell on his knees, his banks covering his eyes. He stood there motionless as he couldn't hear her heart beet anymore, his eyes darkened filling with tears as he stared somewhere far away, oblivious to what was happening around him.  
"Luuucy!" screamed Happy, as he flew through the doors; his eyes wide open as tears poured down.

The wizards around her chanting the spell, the blood had started to rise from the altar, going through the celestial wizard and forming circles above her.  
Slowly transforming into magical circle.  
"Lucy…" whispered Natsu, he barely managed to call her.  
"Natsu!" cried Happy, "They're doing something to Lucy! Stop them!" shaking him, but he didn't respond.  
"Look, fire wizard," said Arashi, with a voice filled with thrill.  
"Our master is coming," he said as dark cloud descended above the magical circle.

The dragon slayer couldn't care any less, he couldn't think, he didn't want to think, he had lost his teammate, close friend and his…  
His memories of her had started to fade away, even though he was holding on them, not letting go. He couldn't help it, slowly falling for the darkness that grew within him.  
His dragon instincts kicking in and he didn't try to suppress them, filling him with anger, revenge and hate. The dark guild members that had chased them finally reached the room, they gathered in front of the dragon slayer blocking his path, trying to protect the ritual.

"What's going on…?" asked Arashi, as he watched the dark cloud being repelled from Lucy's blood. A dark voice caught his attention.  
He turned to face the group of members that was blocking the dragon slayer, _"The voice came from there…" _he thought, as he looked through the mass he noticed the dragon slayer standing on his feet. With flames consuming his body, groaning out of despair but the voice that came out wasn't his own. Scales had started forming on his body.

The dark guild members took a step back in fear when they noticed his canine teeth grow larger.  
"Natsu…" cried out Happy. Fear took over him when the dragon slayer turned to look down at him, glaring at him.  
"Who are you…?" quivered Happy, as he took few steps back from the dragon slayer.

"Leave…" muttered the dragon slayer. walking towards Happy as he was taking steps back away from the dragon slayer. He stopped, Happy noticed that he was standing outside the room when the dragon slayer had closed the iron doors and welding it up with fire, locking himself up with the rest dark guild members.

"Why doesn't it work," Asked Arashi, looking at the confused wizards who had performed the ritual.  
With the last memories of Lucy slowly fading away the dragon slayer managed to speak the last sane thought as he was facing the doors.  
"Like darkness could ever touch something so pure…" he turned his head, looking at the frightened members through his shoulder, his eyes were bloody, glowing red as monstrous magical power started to build up within him.

"You killed her, you killed my mate!" shouted the dragon slayer. That was the only thing he knew at the moment and didn't try to remember anything else. He turned around screaming in pain and despair as his voice slowly took over a dragons roar so powerful that it made the ground shake, and the shell surrounding the castle cracked, falling apart, slowly revealing the castle, his roar spread, it could be heard miles away. Casting a Fire breath upwards he broke the guilds top, setting the castle on fire as it started to collapse.

* * *

At the train Wendy still holding to Charla, unaware of what is happening, she watched the two wizards sharing an embrace.  
Then it hit them, a powerful dragon roar that broke the train windows, followed by the ground shaking.  
"Lucy-san…" Wendy's eyes widened and filled with tears, she had just realized what that pain in the chest meant and what Charla and Erza hid from her, from the roar alone she could tell, it was a roar filled with sadness of losing your loved one.

The train had to pull the emergency break, sliding on the trails to a full stop. Erza, Gray and Wendy who was still holding the unconscious Charla climbed on top of the train, the collapsing castle set on fire was already in their view. They could hear screams coming from it. Charla slowly opened her eyes, and there it was, seeing at her vision.

It was nightmare for her; she closed her eyes as tears fell down her cheeks, turning her head in Wendy's embrace covering her ears so she doesn't hear the screams.

"We're too late…" muttered Gray, clenching his fists as he could still feel the sharp pain in his chest of losing his friend. The dragon slayer had let another dragons roar, this one far more powerful. They could see the trees waving from the pressure, as it hit them slightly pushing them. Wendy turned her head away to avoid looking at the castle as she understood what it meant; this one was filled with hatred, she was scared of it. The ice wizard clenched his teeth; with anger that was clearly showing on his face.

"Kill them all…" he whispered, so low so nobody would hear him. Erza just stood there not averting her gaze, she re-equipped in her "_Fairy Tail farewell armor"_ with tears falling down, she bashed the base of the spear on the train, and raised her head proudly, the wind blowing her scarlet hair sideways as she watched her teammate getting revenge, and in the same time saying her farewell to the celestial wizard.

_The dragon slayer wasn't that only one that darkness touched that night…_

* * *

The dragon slayer had started walking towards Arashi, with each step the fear in the men grew stronger, as the ground below his feet was cracking. Arashi tried to move back but his legs wouldn't listen, the guild members screaming and running away from the dragon slayer, gathering at the welded doors, they had started pounding on it with their fists, even though their hands were bleeding they didn't stop. The cat was on the other side of the door, he leaned his back on the wall and with his head on his knees, crying as he heard the screams coming from the room.

_"What is he doing…That's not Natsu…" _Happy thought, the walls around him were cracking.

Arashi pulled out his skull staff and pointed it at the dragon slayer.  
_"_You'll die just like your bitch over here!" he shouted as he casted dark magic at the dragon slayer, most of it couldn't even penetrate the flames that was surrounding the dragon slayer, but that small part that actually did scratched his skin as blood poured on the ground, it didn't stop the dragon slayer he kept walking towards Arashi with evil smirk on his face as though he was enjoying the pain, some of the dark guild members had turned to look the dragon slayer as he stopped just in front of Arashi.

The members that looked the dragon slayer trashed themselves pushing the others against the door as they had seen the dragon slayer taking a step forward grabbing Arashi's arm pulling him and biting chunk out of his neck, he threw him against the wall to die painfully.

Next were the three wizards who had performed the ritual, with one strike he punched a hole in one of the wizards heart, squishing it in his palm.  
One of the other two wizards had passed out at the sight; the other wizard was looking as the man next to him fell to the ground when he jerked away in surprise to notice that his arm is missing, he screamed as he fell to the ground.

The dragon slayer wasn't done, he turned to face the rest of the guild members that were screaming and trying to force open the gate. He had a smirk on his face; only his bloodied canine teeth were showing as he waited and watched the men in front of him change their emotions with each passing second, fear, despair, terror. He started walking towards them.

Happy on the other side of the door, unable to move from fear curled up against the wall as he heard the voices, _"Please…Please don't…"_ they were trailing off as weird sounds interrupted their unsaid words, he could hear the door buckling as something was hitting it, suddenly it went quite, the blue cat opened his teary eyes for a moment before they were shut again from the third dragons roar, it was a roar of victory…  
The dragon slayer was exhausted; he climbed up on the altar, and curled around her lifeless body protecting it from the collapsing castle. He lost consciousness when a big rock hit the back of his head.

When everything calmed down, Erza and Gray made their way to the ruins where the castle once stood, thinking twice whether to enter or not, after taking couple of deep breaths they made their way in, slowly making their way through the burnt corpses. The smell was unbearable to the ice wizard, he grossed out and fell on his knees coughing, Titania oblivious to the bodies, she made her way just outside the place where the room once was, noticing a small shaking blue fur ball.

"Gray, over here!" she called the ice wizard, when he got there he saw Happy, shaking against the wall there was piles of rocks around him.  
"Happy…" said Gray, as he lowered himself, reaching out with his hand to touch the cat, his fingers barely brushed against the fur when the cat jumped away from his touch.

"Don't touch me!" yelled Happy, his eyes still locked on the one thing that didn't fall with the castle, the iron door.  
"Happy, it's us…" said Erza, extending her palm to the cat. Slowly the blue cat turned his eyes towards the familiar voices realizing that Erza and Gray were there, he started crying and leaped in Erza's arms, she hugged the cat, looking down at the tears that were sliding on her cold armor.

"Erza, Gray…" he yelled, happy to see his friends.  
"Happy, where is Natsu?" asked Gray. The cat started shaking again.

"Happy, calm down…" said Erza, as she petted him on the head.

Relaxing at her touch the blue cat raised his paw and pointed at the iron door. Titania looked at the door, she handed the blue cat to the ice wizard and went to the door, placing her hand and pushing to open it, it wouldn't budge. She summoned a magical sword and cut the door in half with one strike. She went inside the room, noticing the bodies around the door she scanned the room, where in the middle of the room under big rock she spotted gold hair, she ran towards the middle of the room, lifting the huge rock with ease and throwing it on the side. She saw the dragon slayer curled up around the celestial wizard protecting her body, she couldn't help but notice that he was still in _dragon force, _Erza called Gray who was standing outside the room to help her carry them. The ice wizard started walking inside the room when Happy jumped of his hold.

"I don't want to go in there…" said Happy, hovering over the ice wizard holding his paws on his head.

Gray noticed how terrified Happy was.  
"Go to the village Happy, Wendy and Charla are waiting there…" said Gray.

the blue cat didn't think twice to fly out of the ruins and head to the village; he didn't even look back. Gray entered the room, seeing the celestial wizard under the dragon slayers body, _"Lucy…"_ he called her in his thoughts.

"Take him to the village," said Erza, He picked up the dragon slayer on his back and exited the ruins, _"So this is his dragon force…?" _thought the ice wizard as he saw him like this for first time, he had heard of it from Erza, it was exactly as she described it.

Erza leaned forward and before she picked up the celestial wizard she heard noise from under the rocks in the corner of the room. She cleared the pile of rocks that was on top of a small door on the floor, she opened it up noticing stairs, it lead to the chamber in which the abducted girls were being held.  
She saw them covered in fear, from the events of the night; they too could hear the screaming voices. She shattered the cells with her sword.  
"You're free, go…" said Titania as she turned and walked away, she got back in the room and picked up the celestial wizard.

_"Forgive me…Lucy…I shouldn't have let you go…"_ she apologized, as she was looking at her face, with tears in her eyes she left the ruins trailing after the ice wizard.


	4. Fairy Tail

Chapter 4

* * *

Fairy Tail

* * *

_Magnolia, Strawberry Street.  
Three days has passed since the burial of their friend. _

She took one step at a time walking near the water canal. Her eyes were following each carefully placed foot on the narrow stone wall that was separating the water canal  
from the cobblestone road. The street was empty, the only people near were the two fishermen who were in their boat returning to their homes. They had just passed under  
the stone bridge that was connecting Strawberry Street with the street on the other side of the canal. They were silent, looking down at the boat, sad as they missed that  
blond girl who used to walk near the water canal almost every day in the same time. A figure caught their attention, repeating the same thing that the celestial wizard used  
to. They jumped in surprise, for a moment they had thought that she is back. No, it wasn't the person they expected. She was slowly closing in to that red building in which  
her best friend used to live. She stopped, knowing that she's really close. Hesitating to take another step she raised her head and tears filled her eyes as she noticed the  
apartment. "Go on," she heard a voice behind her, giving her the courage to keep walking. She entered the building and started climbing the steps, and before she knew  
it, there she was. Only one door separating her from the apartment, she placed her hand on the door knob but didn't had the strength to open it. Her eyes widened as she  
felt another hand over hers, twisting the door knob and pushing the door open. "Don't stop now," she heard the same voice again. She entered the apartment, through the  
lobby and into the living room, to her right she saw the soft bed covered in pink sheets, as bright light entered through the window above it illuminating it.  
She sat down on it and looked through the window before the pictures placed under it caught her eyes. She picked up the one of everyone in the guild, and with her thumb  
gently touching her best friend cheerful face. Her hand started to shake as single tear fell on the picture.

"_Lu-Chan…" _she thought, as she held her other hand over her lips suppressing her sobbing noise.

_"Do you remember how…we used to talk…and…laugh?_" she asked.

She turned her face to look at the desk where her best friend was writing her letters and novel.

_"Do you…remember the promise we…made?"_

_-flashback-_  
"I heard about it, Lu-Chan! You're writing a novel, right?" said Levy as she sat down next to the celestial wizard.  
"Oh, so the rumors spread already…" replied Lucy while holding on her drink._  
-flashback- _

She returned the picture back on its place and she stood up from the bed. She walked over to her desk, on it a small wooden box stood containing all the letters that  
the celestial wizard had written to her mother, and next to it there was half-closed white paper. She sat on the chair and picked up the last letter that the celestial wizard  
had written, and slowly opened it.

* * *

_Dear Mama,_

_I just got back from a mission, but in few minutes  
I'm going on the next one. It will be only three of us  
this time. I have told you about them Happy and Natsu.  
Mama, What should I do…Ever since that time when Papa  
tried to take me back, I started feeling different about  
Natsu, I thought the feeling will go away, but it doesn't.  
I wish you were here to talk to me about this, I'm sure  
you would know what I need to do.  
Natsu is always cheerful, and protective of me.  
I really can't keep going like this. I never felt this way  
towards any other person. Mama, I think I…love him.  
Oh, it's almost time to go, I'll write to you tomorrow._

_PS: Don't tell Papa. _

* * *

"What is that?" asked the voice behind her. It was accompanying Levy all this time.

She had a soft smile on her face, "Her last…letter, you…were right all this time…you knew," she replied.

"I could sense them, whenever they were…close to each other," said Gajeel. "As dragon slayers come of age they can sense new things in people, even emotions."

"How is…he going to get through this?" she asked, as tears started to fill her eyes again.

He leaned in forward and rested his chin on her shoulder, and with his other hand embracing Levy. They've been dating for months, and somehow they had  
managed to keep it a secret.

"I…don't know, _we_ only…love once, such is our destiny. Those bastards, I can only imagine what he did to them…" he replied.

She closed and sealed the letter, while placing it inside the wooden box she noticed the stacked papers on the right side of the desk, there it was, the novel that  
the celestial wizard has been writing. Levy placed her hand on top of it and closed her eyes, wondering whether to read it or not.

_"You haven't finished it…"_ she thought.

_-flashback-  
_"I'm still working on it," said Lucy.  
"Then when it's finished, can I be the first person to read it?" asked Levy, with a smile on her face.  
"Sure," answered Lucy.  
"It's a promise!" cheered Levy._  
-flashback- _

"Aren't you going…to read it?" asked Gajeel, as he placed his other hand around her closing the space between them.

"No…she promised, that I'll be the first person to read it after she…finished it," replied Levy, "But it's not complete yet…" Her expression changed after she wiped  
the tears of her face, she held her hands together and with a frown looked at the novel.

"Shrimp…She can't finish it…" whispered Gajeel.

"She…will," she replied. The dragon slayer moved away in surprise. With eyes wide open wondering whether he heard right.

"What did you say?" he asked. Standing behind Levy with a drop of sweat on his head.

"I did something, before we…buried her," she answered.  
"When they brought her Wendy had already healed the body. I secretly casted powerful rune spell to preserve it, even master couldn't detect it." She explained.

"Why did you do that?" asked Gajeel, still unable to figure out what's on her mind.

"There must be…ways, to bring back lost…souls, but we don't have much time, the spell will grow weak as time passes." She answered, as she kept looking at the novel.  
"We have three months," She said, as she turned to look at the dragon slayer, "I know that he's going to help when he wakes up,"  
"But I don't think…that I can do this…without you, will…you help me?" she asked the dragon slayer.

He let a sigh and closed his eyes thinking about what he heard. Wondering if this is the right thing to do, but he wasn't a guy who would always do the right thing.  
He remembered what he did to the celestial wizard when he was with _Phantom Lord_, he never had the chance to properly apologize to her.  
_"Master is going to be pissed if he finds out,"_ he thought.

"I'll help you, it's the least I can do to…make up to her," he answered before he noticed Levy jumping in his arms with a smile on her face.

"Thank you, Gajeel!" she cheered, as she gave the dragon slayer a kiss on the cheek.

"GEEHEE," replied Gajeel, with his signature grin.

"Let's go back to the guild," said Levy, "I must find a way, to…bring her back." As she was looking in his eyes.

He let go of her and started to walk towards the apartment door. "We have to wait for him…to wake up," he pointed out.

"You need to wait for him to wake up, I'm going in the library to search," she replied while trailing behind the dragon slayer.  
Gajeel had stopped just before he exits the apartment.

"Please…help him Gajeel…" she begged him.

He nodded his head before he took a step forward.

The dragon slayer left the apartment with Levy trailing behind him. When she was about to close the door she turned back, _"Wait for me Lu-Chan,"_ she thought. She closed  
the door and followed the dragon slayer. They were closing to the guild gates as they walked the path to Fairy Tail.

* * *

_Magnolia, Fairy Tail._

The guild was no longer the same, the main hall was silent no one dared to speak. Wakaba and Macao sitting on the table in the corner of the hall, drinking their beer.  
Elfman and Evergreen were sitting on the bar looking down. And Mirajane had lost her usual smile, with her hand holding the glass making only the slightest movements. Each time the guild doors would open, the members would look, hoping to see that cheerful smile again, she was missed. But the celestial wizard wasn't the only one  
missing, six more members haven't returned to the guild for three days. And the master would leave the guild in the morning not returning till dawn, he was doing that  
for two days. It worried the members.

Nab was walking towards the request board, hoping that he'll finally choose a mission. Not looking where he's going he bumped in Reedus who was painting pictures.  
They scattered on the ground, pictures of Lucy and her team, Mirajane noticed this and went to Reedus to help him pick up the paintings; she broke the silence that was  
in the guild for the last three days.

She had picked up a painting of the celestial wizard and her team, "I miss her…I miss them…" said Mirajane.

"Oui...They're still in Magnolia hospital, waiting for him to wake up…" replied Reedus, as he was picking up the other paintings.

The rest of the guild members eyed the paintings on the ground, they too were missing the most troublesome team.

"Is it true…" said Macao, with a worried expression on his face.  
"Is it true…that he did that?" he asked, as he turned his eyes to look at the guild members.

"That's just wrong," spoke Wakaba, as he was holding his pipe.  
"No matter the reason…that was too much! It's one thing to kill someone, its other to massacre them!" he shouted, while standing up and hitting the table with his foot.

"Did I just hear you say that?!" a voice came from outside the guild doors. The doors slowly opened as Gajeel and Levy walked in. The dragon slayer glared at Wakaba.  
"No matter…the reason…you said?" asked Gajeel, clenching his fists, he got offended by those words; he too was a dragon slayer. He had an idea what he would do if  
he would lose Levy, and Wakaba's words were like an insult to him. Levy didn't even paid attention to their arguing, she fast walked towards the Library.

Jumping from their chairs, "Levy, you're back!" shouted Jet and Droy in same time.

"I'm sorry, I need to go in the library," she replied. Rushing to the library and closing the doors shut behind her. Jet and Droy just dropped on the chairs they jumped up  
from seconds ago, they were sad but something else caught their attention, as they turned to look at the dragon slayer, who seemed pissed.

"What do…YOU old fart know about dragon slayers!" he shouted at Wakaba, who just stood there surprised at the dragon slayers outburst.  
"He lost her, he lost his…mate," muttered Gajeel, as he faced the guild floor.

"Did you hit your heard Gajeel? Lucy and Natsu were never like that…" said Macao.

The dragon slayer raised his head to face him.  
"It could've already happen and if it didn't…it was only a question of time, things are…different for dragon slayers," replied Gajeel. It seemed that he caught their attention.  
"You sit there…acting like you're his friends. And you DON'T know a thing about him!" shouted Gajeel.

_"Hmm, in the end you defended him," _thought Lily, as he was watching the dragon slayer from the corner of the guild.

"Gajeel! That's enough!" yelled Mirajane who was standing next to Reedus.

"Tch, I don't have time for this…Lily we got a mission." He called for his partner and they left the guild. Leaving Wakaba and Macao with their jaws dropped. His mission was to gather information about something important, as they walked the path that led to the guild gates he noticed Makarov speed walking.

"Master…" he said, but Makarov only looked at him with expressionless face as they passed each other.

Lily faced the dragon slayer as they walked further away from the guild.  
"What is the mission about?" he asked.

"GEEHEE, we're going to find where some bastards are hiding," the dragon slayer smiled with his signature grin.

* * *

"As if we don't have enough trouble," sighed Mirajane, first she saw Levy ignoring her teammates, and then Gajeel arguing with Wakaba.  
"The whole consul is on our back, asking us to hand him over, they want him…" she said, as she walked back to the bar.

"Let them take him," said Makarov, as the guild doors opened.  
"That is if they can pass through Erza and Gray," he chuckled while speed walking to his office.

"Master, you're back," said Mirajane.

"And we're not going to hand him over, not until I hear from him what happened," he entered the office and slammed the door behind.

"How long has he been doing that," asked Elfman, as he was looking at the office door.

Evergreen raised her head to look at the takeover wizard.  
"Since they showed up at the hospital to take him two days ago, he's been trying to buy time," she replied.

"I've heard they have sent for strong wizards, they're planning to take him by force," said Mirajane.

"Don't worry," replied Makarov, as he opened the office door, and started walking towards the bar.  
"I haven't seen Erza and Gray like that, I'm not sure that even I can take him out of there by force," said Makarov. He took a sit on the bar to drink his beer.  
"It's like they're holding the hospital hostage, I'm worried about them," muttered Makarov, and raised his mug to drink.

* * *

_Magnolia, Hospital._

Over one hundred rune knights had surrounded the hospital, and in front of the door stood Gray and Erza guarding the entrance. Wendy was taking care of Natsu  
who was laying down on one of the hospital beds, the scales on his skin nearly gone, she was taking care of Natsu assisting Polyushka with healing since day one  
depleted of magic, tired, sitting next to his bed, waiting like her help might be needed any moment. From the hall peaking inside the room was Charla and Happy  
too afraid to get near the dragon slayer, as both of them shared terrifying experience with him.

"He's getting better," said Polyushka to Wendy. She was sitting on a small table next to the bed, looking down at her book.  
"When you brought him, he had more magical power than his body can contain," said Polyushka.  
"It's my first time seeing that, it usually goes the other way around," she explained. She looked down on the dragon slayers face, she noticed his eyes twitching.

"He'll wake up soon," said Polyushka. Wendy turned to the dragon slayer, noticed that he was sweating. She took the white towel and wiped his face.

"Natsu-san," Wendy muttered. She was worried about Natsu, she looked up to him, taking note of his fighting style and even making it her own, she respected him.

"Lucy…" whisper escaped his lips, as his eyes were moving rapidly under the eyelids. He was having a dream, about that night three days ago.  
The dream playing in his mind, when he touched her forehead and the feeling he had. The moment when he tugged her close to him, warming her up. He smiled  
under those moments, when suddenly his dream turned into nightmare, Lucy sinking down in the ground, and he was helpless as he was trying to reach for her.

_"I'm sorry…"_ she had apologized, _"Natsu…I…had feelings…for you, from the moment you saved me from Phantom. I…love you,"_ she confessed before she sank in  
the magical circle. Tears started to slide down his face from the words that he couldn't hear that night.

"Luuucy!" he shouted, with his arm forward trying to reach the celestial wizard when he woke up in the unfamiliar surroundings.

* * *

His waking shout for Lucy could be heard outside the hospital, the rune knights tensed at the voice, as they knew their target was awake.

"Natsu?! He's awake," said Gray to Erza.

"I'll go to him, stay here!" shouted Titania.

She turned and started to run towards the hospital room. The rune knights seeing this as an opportunity took a step forward.

"One more step and you're goners!" said the ice wizard, with his hands put together on the side the temperature in the city started to fall, blue mist started enveloping his body and the ground freezing below his feet, the ice wizard was ready to defend the hospital, the rune knights stopped and backed off.

"You're threatening rune knights; you won't get away with this," spoke the commander of the army.

"Do I look like I care?" replied Gray.

"Where are your cloths, you had some moment ago!?" voice came somewhere from the rune knight army. The ice wizard looked down at himself.

"Eh? I haven't done this in a while..." said Gray.

* * *

"Natsu-san, you're finally awake," said Wendy, with a soft smile on her face. The cats took a step back as they were still not sure if he's back to normal.

"Where is Lucy?!" he asked. He raised himself on his elbows, as he was scanning the hospital room. His eyes finally settled on Wendy as he recalled her words.

"Finally…what do you mean finally? And where is Lucy?!" he asked for the celestial wizard again, as his memory hasn't completely returned.

"You've been a sleep for three days," answered Polyushka.

"Three…days…Wendy where is Lucy…I must tell her something," he said. He noticed her turning her eyes to the floor, as tears welled up. He could feel it, that painful emotion radiating from her body.

She covered her eyes with her hands, hiding the tears away, "Natsu-san…Lucy is…dead," she answered.

The same pain he felt when she died hit him for second time, this time much sharper and stronger. His eyes wide open in disbelief.

"Wendy…what are you…saying?" he asked with a fake smile, for a moment he thought that she was joking, he didn't want her words to be true. But he could feel it, Wendy's emotion, she wasn't lying.

Then it came to him, the memories flashed in front of his eyes. Lucy dead, as he knelt there in front of her, motionless. Then the memory of him using _dragon force _and how he scared his partner, and the memory of him killing all those people, he placed his hand over his mouth and he leaned on the side, trying to throw up but nothing came out he hadn't eaten for days. He fell back on the bed, with tears pouring down his face, his eyes had lost their color and his vision blackened; he was looking somewhere far.

"Dead…she died…" he muttered.

"I…let her…die, I…let my…mate die…It's my fault," he said so low toned that even Wendy with her dragon senses couldn't hear him. The blame in him grew larger. He was lost in his thoughts. He kept repeating the same thing over and over, "It's my fault,"

Titania stormed through the doors, "Natsu, you're awake?!" she asked, before she noticed the tears, and his shaded eyes.

"Wendy, what happened?" Erza asked the crying sky dragon slayer.

"He was asking for…Lucy, and then…this," replied Wendy.

Erza looked at Natsu and noticed his lips moving. "What is he saying?" she asked Wendy, not averting her gaze from Natsu.

"I don't…know," she replied as she kept crying.

Erza looked behind seeing Happy and Charla as they kept peaking inside the room.

"Happy, you and Charla take Wendy back to the guild, tell master I'm bringing Natsu," Titania commanded with her fierce voice.

Happy and Charla slowly entered the room, their eyes not averting from the fire dragon slayer, they grabbed on Wendy and took off from the hospital window; only Happy turned back…to see his partner. Erza closed on Natsu and tried shaking him, but it didn't work he didn't respond but his lips kept moving.

She leaned in close to him, to hear what he's saying.

"It's…-" she closed her eyes and tried to focus on the low voice under her.

"-…my fault..." he muttered. She let a sigh before she picked up his arm and placed it over her shoulders, raising him up from the bed. his whole weight was on her, his feet dragging on the floor. Slowly she made her way to the ice wizard.

Gray looked behind as Erza was carrying the dragon slayer, slowly coming closer. When they exited the hospital, the rune knights tensed up with their staffs in battle position, ignoring this Titania started walking to the guild, while carrying the dragon slayer she faced Gray.

"You know what to do," said Erza, as she kept walking towards the guild.

"Aaaah, you don't have to tell me twice," replied Gray, he squeezed his hands, magic circle appeared and he placed his hands on the ground. "Ice make...floor," the floor started freezing, it spread fast on the ground in all directions, trapping the rune knights and freezing their feet, Gray stood up and turned to follow Erza, the ice grew on the rune knights, slowly freezing them up to their necks.

He noticed that the dragon slayers feet were dragging on the ground. He went on the other side, placing the dragon slayers arm over his shoulders. As they kept walking towards the guild Erza suddenly stopped, as she saw runes on the ground preventing the dragon slayer to move any further from the hospital, she turned to the ice wizard and with a frown on her face, "Hold him," she said.

She summoned her sword, and with one slash she destroyed the runes. They continued on their way, leaving the rune knights frozen behind them.

* * *

Halfway through, Gray noticed that the dragon slayers lips were moving.

He looked at him with his usual stoic expression, "Oi Natsu, did u say anything?" he asked.

"He's been like that since I saw him," explained Erza.

Gray turned to face her, "What is he saying?" he asked.

"He's been repeating, 'It's my fault,'" she answered as they kept walking.

"Tch, no one is blaming you…flame brain," said Gray. He turned his look on the road ahead.

After he heard those words the dragon slayer snapped, he placed his foot firmly on the ground and stopped. His hair hiding the teary shaded eyes, he started clenching his teeth and fists. Gray and Erza little further from him turned back to see the dragon slayer who suddenly left their shoulders.

"It's my fault…it's my fault she died, IT'S MY FAULT!" he yelled, angry looking at Erza and Gray through his hair.

"WHY ARE YOU HELPING THE MAN WHO LET YOUR FRIEND DIE WALK!" he shouted, as tears fell off his eyes.

Titania couldn't stand this anymore, scary violet aura started to surround her as she started walking to the dragon slayer.  
"Oh crap" muttered Gray, as drops of sweat appeared on his head.

"WILL YOU CUT THIS SHIT ALREADY?" Titania snapped, grabbing him by the vest with one hand and she started slapping his face with the other.

_"Is this all I get…after I let her die, this pain in my chest, I can't live without…her,"_ he thought. He grabbed her hand and leaned forward.

"Kill me…" he whispered to Titania, her eyes grew distant; like losing one friend wasn't already enough to her, she let go of the dragon slayer and leaned forward, placing her forehead against his, and with one hand she held his teary cheek.

Tears welled up in her eyes, "You idiot… How can you…say that?" She asked.  
"Was it that long ago…to forget…? What I told you at the tower of heaven…"  
"A world without my friends it's just too much for me… Do you remember what you said back?" she asked.

His eyes slowly returning their color he looked at her, "We're…the same…all of us," he replied.

"But, we already lost one, and she wasn't….just a…friend," he muttered, as he backed away and turned his back to Erza and Gray, looking down at the ground.

"Those…bastards…killed her…killed…" he said as he remembered why they had killed her.

"No!" he yelled.  
"I will…bring her…back," he said.

The ice wizard opened his mouth to speak but no voice came out, as he wasn't even sure what to say.

"What?!" shouted Titania. The dragon slayer had stopped crying and started wiping the tears of his face.

"There is a way, those bastards killed Lucy to resurrect their master," he explained.

"Natsu…" her voice trailed off, shocked at his words.

"They were doing what?!" a voice interrupted their conversation. It was Gajeel and Lily who were heading on their mission, he had heard everything the dragon slayer said. And he was surprised that they already learned of one way to bring back Lucy.

Erza and Gray turned to the voice.

"Who goes there!" shouted Titania as she summoned her sword and pointed it at Gajeel and Lily. She was still on edge from the conversation with Natsu.

"Gajeel?" asked Gray.

"So she was right, there are ways to bring bunny girl back," said Gajeel, slowly making his way towards them.

"She?" Gray and Erza asked in same time.

"Levy…" muttered Natsu. Still adapting to the new things he could feel.

"That's right," replied Gajeel. Erza and Gray stood there looking at Natsu who was still facing them with his back, trying to figure out how he knew.

"She casted some kind of rune spell to preserve her body, you've got three months salamander." said Gajeel as he had just passed between Erza and Gray.

"Don't do anything stupid until I return," he said as he walked next to Natsu.

"Natsu…What are you people talking about…" said Erza.

"You wouldn't sacrifice another human to bring her back…right?" she asked.

Natsu faced Erza and Gray, and started walking, "I would…But that wouldn't make her happy, there must be other ways, and I'll find them." replied Natsu, as he kept walking. Erza and Gray started trailing after him.

"But first there is something I must do," he said as he kept walking towards the guild, his eyes focused on Fairy Tail.

* * *

_Magnolia, Fairy Tail._

Master Makarov was sitting on the bar drinking his beer, when he noticed the guild doors open.

"Master!" yelled Wendy, as they stormed through the guild doors, with Charla carrying her.

"Erza and Gray are bringing Natsu-san here," she said, as they flew towards Makarov.

Master Makarov stood up on the bar, as he waited for them to walk through the doors, the guild members stood up as well, they pulled on the sides, making path to the master as he waited for them.

The dragon slayer reached the guild gates. With two wizards following him.

**Natsu's POV**

What will they think of me…? After I let Lucy die. I was unsure of myself, how could I face them…how could I face master, after what I did. Will they even think of me as human? I stopped in front of the guild gates, it was silent. They knew I'm coming, I could smell fear, they were afraid of me. The same people I've been with since I was little kid feared me. I know that my choice will be one that will fit a Fairy Tail wizard.

"Natsu…" I voice I haven't heard for days called me, it was my partner hovering over the guild gates. I tried raising my head, but after what I did to him, how could I look him in the eyes.

"Happy…I'm really sorry…for what I did to you back then." I apologized.

"Are you…back to normal?" he asked me, I could feel that he was sad, but he asked a question I didn't understand.

"Back to…normal?" I asked, while looking down on the ground. What did he mean back to normal…I thought.

"Back there…in the castle, I could tell it wasn't you…" he explained, I saw tears falling on the ground in front of me. Oh it was me… but how could I bring myself to tell him.  
How could I tell him that I looked at him with killer eyes, I barely managed to hold myself not hurting him… I closed my eyes and raised my head to face him, with a fake smile I nodded at Happy, for the first time I lied to my partner.

"I knew it!" he said, Happiness replaced his sadness. I was glad, that I had my friends behind me, seeing me not different from what they used too. I kept walking towards the guild, slowly climbed the little steps that were in front of the guild doors.

"What are you going to do?" he asked me before he was interrupted by Erza.

**Omni POV**

Cracking sounds could be heard, someone was closing in to the doors, Charla was afraid of Natsu, she stepped back as far away from the door as possible the members were nervous, some fearing, some wanting to see him, the tension in the guild was rising.

"Why are you afraid," said Makarov sensing the fear in the guild hall.

"Why fear a child that is returning home?"

"You should welcome it", he raised his head and placed his arms behind his back as the footsteps outside the doors stopped.

The doors slowly opened, and the dragon slayer started walking towards the master, his eyes locked on the floor below his feet. Gray, Erza and Happy stopped at the door, watching the dragon slayer as he makes his way towards Makarov.

**Erza's POV**

I watched him walk towards master, his personality changed… I heard well back then, he said Lucy wasn't just a friend to him. How long do we have to walk down this road that leaves us with nothing more than scars. If I would only stop them back then, from going on that mission. When I felt that pain in my chest, I was glad that Gray was there. I would fall on my knees…if he didn't reach out to catch me. And now I feel as though one more friend is going to leave me, this time the man that saved my life at the tower of heaven. I'm not going to let that happen, no matter what kind of choice he makes I'll support him. I want things back the way they were…I miss her so much.

I looked at Gray who seemed preoccupied in thought, I wonder what he's going to do…

**Gray's POV**

Every second after he woke up I thought I'm dreaming, wishing to wake up, things seemed so unreal, I could see myself standing there, listening to their conversation. But it's not a dream, Did all this started simply because I froze entire building, how can something so small start events that would lead to losing one of my friends. I scarred him for life, my best friend that prevented me from throwing my life away at Galuna island, this is how I repaid him… No.. if there is a way to bring her back, I'll do it, no matter the consequences no matter the sacrifice, I want things back the way they were, I miss her. And only after that…I could ask for forgiveness.

I kept watching him, slowly he was making his way towards master.

**Omni POV**

"I don't know about you, but whatever he decides I'll…If there is a way, no matter how odd…" said Gray to Erza, not averting his eyes from the dragon slayer.  
"I haven't told you, I thought you'll beat me if I did, I was going to throw away my life at Galuna island, but he stopped me…" he said, peeking from the corner of his eyes watching her reaction.

Erza folded her arms and sighed, she turned her eyes to look at the dragon slayer.

"You were about to throw it away, but I did threw it away at the tower of heaven, but he saved me…" she said, as she recalled how she decided to sacrifice herself.  
"When this is over, I'll beat some sense in both of you…" she said while smirking already thinking of the punishment, sending chills down the ice wizard spine.

Too ashamed to raise his head, as he could feel the eyes on him, some judging him, some cursing, he looked deeper into the floor when he stopped in front of Makarov.

"Master…" he muttered. His hands started to shake.

"Naatsu…Look at me and speak." Said Makarov.

"Jii-san…" he raised his head but his eyes couldn't meet the masters.  
"I can't bring myself to look at you…" he said, as tears welled up in his eyes.  
"I'm sorry…When I got there she was already…dead," he said as he started crying. Humiliated by the eyes he could feel on him, it was too much for a proud dragon.

"Jii-san…I've decided…" raising his voice, he wiped the tears of his eyes.

"I'm going to make things the way they were, I'll find way to make things right, I'll find way to…bring her back, to bring my mate back!" he said. Levy had opened the door of the library, listening to everything that is happening in the main hall, she smiled at his words.

"Naatsu! You mustn't! it's not natural!" yelled Makarov.

His words didn't reach the dragon slayer, Erza and Gray slowly made their way and stood on each side of the dragon slayer.

"But first…"  
"I'm going to do something bad again…" said Natsu, he couldn't help but smirk to the things he had on mind. The master stood there, looking at his face sent chills down his spine. He could feel it…the loss of another child, he squeezed his hand, the staff he held shuttered, as tears filled his eyes.

"That was just a small branch guild…I'll find them and make them pay!" he said with a soft smile on his face, his sharp canine teeth reflecting the light in the guild hall. He looked down at his shoulder.

"I brought to much shame to this guild, This mark, that's been on my arm for so long…" he raised his other hand and placed it over the Fairy Tail insignia.

"I'm not worthy to carry it!" he yelled as he was scratching, digging into his skin where the mark stood, blood poured down his twitching hand, and with one swipe he partially erased the insignia.

To his left was Titania who did the same with her mark.

"Erza…?" the dragon slayer asked, his voice quivered.

"I can't believe this… Erzaa! You from all people…Why?" yelled Makarov.

"Master…" unable to find the right words she turned her eyes on the floor, she betrayed him.

On his right Gray, not falling behind had already did the same with his mark, leaving four scars on his chest where the insignia stood.  
The dragon slayer turned to face Gray.

"You too…?" he asked.

"Gray…" muttered Makarov as he started to shed tears. But the ice wizard only turned his eyes on the floor, same as Erza.

The master along with everyone in Fairy Tail was shocked at the sight, Makarov unable to find words, he spaced out, as he remembered the three wizards since they first joined the guild, watching them grow in front of his eyes in matter of seconds, watching them and tears falling of his eyes as they turned around, slowing walking towards the guild doors.

"MASTER, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, DON'T LET THEM GO!" cried out Mirajane, the tears clouding her vision. Snapping the master back to reality, he noticed Erza and Gray walking little further from the dragon slayer as they were walking towards the guild doors.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" yelled Makarov, the wrath of the giant, he extended his giant hand to grab on the dragon slayer…

Instantly the dragon slayer burst into flames, taking over dragon force, the place started to shake from the magical pressure they were releasing, his new found power now under his control, still with his back facing the master.

"STOP IT! Think about your guild!" yelled Natsu. His arm stopped as he realized that he could have destroyed his own guild, hurting the members along the way, he withdraw his attack, and so did the dragon slayer, the master froze with his hand shaking trying to reach them...

"Natsu…" Happy muttered, he was standing just in front of him.

"You're not going to leave right?" he asked him with eyes full of tears. The dragon slayer placed his knee on the floor, and petted his partner.

"Happy…I can't make you choose…" he said, turning his head to look at Charla and smiled at her sincerely, which made her feel at ease, no longer fearing the dragon slayer.  
"Watch the guild while I'm gone, ok partner?" he stood up and continued walking toward Gray and Erza who were waiting for him.

"Ayee…" replied Happy, as he was crying for his friends.

Master Makarov wiped the tears of his face, and proudly raised his head, with one hand in the air. Seeing him all the guilds members followed his example and raised their hands, letting them know, no matter where they are, they'll be always looking after them.

_My children…do whatever you think is right. Such is the way of Fairy Tail, a simple mark doesn't make you part of our family…In our hearts, you'll always be Fairy Tail wizards.  
Go forward, fight your way through whatever challenges stand in your way. Youths that don't listen to an old man words, learn from the mistakes you're about to make, be strong, otherwise they'll break your spirit and heart. –Makarov Dreyar_

_We just stood there, watched them, as he reached Erza and Gray who were waiting for him at the doors looking at the guild members, he stopped and turned his head to look at us through his bleeding shoulder. They smiled at us, and with one voice they uttered two words._

_"Mina, sayonara"_

_as they exited the guild disappearing of sight in the light that poured through the guild doors. Setting on a quest to bring back our friend. –Levy McGarden._

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*Happy new year everyone! Don't forget to review.


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